Building Your Expert Muscle
Mark was the model sales trainee. He'd aced every internal training session at his commercial office furniture company, could confidently discuss product details, and was prepped for every sales objection in the book. Sarah, in contrast, took a different approach. Before each client meeting, she'd spend 10-15 minutes doing something simple yet powerful. She'd pull up the client's website, scroll through their recent social media posts, and jot down a few notes in her notebook. In the days before the meeting, she'd quickly call colleagues who had recently sold to similar businesses, asking, "What challenges did your client solve by working with us? What did we do for them?"
When Mark and Sarah walked into a prospective client's office that day, their approaches couldn't have been more different.
Mark launched into a meticulously prepared presentation, highlighting technical features of their latest ergonomic chair design, and the companies new design and intake process. Sarah knew about all that too, but started with a question that caught the client off guard: "I noticed your CEO’s recent LinkedIn post about creating a more collaborative workspace. How's that initiative going?"
Why Expertise Matters More Than You Think
In sales, there's a profound difference between selling a product and being a true expert. The magic happens when you move beyond simply pushing capabilities and systems, and start sharing genuine insights that your clients haven't even considered.
Imagine asking a question so insightful that it stops your client in their tracks. A question that makes them realize they're facing challenges they hadn't fully articulated - or maybe even realized. Suddenly, the conversation shifts. What started as "just another sales meeting" shifts into a strategic discussion. The client starts thinking, "This person isn't just trying to sell me something - they're helping me make sure this project is going to be a success."
This is the moment when something incredible happens. The client doesn't just see you as another potential supplier to interview and get a price from. They start pulling you "upstairs" - voluntarily introducing you to decision-makers because they recognize the unique value you bring.
Building Your Expert Muscle: Three Practical Strategies
1. Reflect on Your Experience
Sellers often think of themselves as quota chasers versus true industry experts. But pause and do the math. How many clients have you worked with? How many projects have you talked to clients about - whether you won them or lost them? Sticking with our office furniture example, a client might handle 1-2 office redesigns every decade. You? You're likely managing 2-5 similar projects every month! Regardless of your industry, odds are your range of experience may go well beyond your typical clients.
Start recognizing your wealth of experience. Identify the patterns you've observed. What challenges do you consistently see? These insights are your expertise waiting to be shared.
2. Be a Student of the Industry
Commit to continuous learning, but make it manageable. Spend a few minutes each day skimming industry headlines. Commit to reading 1-2 in-depth articles weekly.
Start considering other key players in your industry? What other suppliers do your clients work with that are tangentially related to your business? Get to know adjacent businesses and the sellers that work for those companies. In our office furniture example that might be the architects, real estate developers, or office technology providers who orbit your business. Maybe even start getting a coffee every few months with the salespeople at your direct competitors.
Your goal isn't to become an overnight expert, but to develop a curious, learning mindset.
3. Seek and Share Stories
Your greatest asset is the collective experience of your team. Stay connected to all projects, not just your own. Interview colleagues. Ask about recent wins, and equally important, about projects they've lost. Why did they lose? What could have been done differently?
These conversations are gold. They help you spot trends, develop nuanced understanding, and transform your pitch from feature-listing to storytelling.
Your Expert Muscle Challenge
This week, pick one strategy. Just one. Maybe it's spending 10 minutes researching a prospect's recent activities. Perhaps it's having a 15-minute chat with a colleague about their latest project. Or maybe to just committing to scrolling the top 2-3 industry publications every morning.
Expertise isn't about knowing everything. It's about being genuinely curious and committed to understanding more deeply than anyone else.
Are you ready to build your expert muscle?